Highlights

CBI arrested Lt Col RS Moni and middleman Gaurav Kohli

Kohli was given 5 lakhs by an officer through hawala: CBI

CBI suspects other senior officers were also involved

A Lieutenant Colonel in the army has been arrested for allegedly manipulating postings of officers for money. Lt Colonel Ranganathan Suvramani Moni has been accused of taking bribes to arrange transfers at the army headquarters, along with a middleman, Gaurav Kohli, who has also been arrested.

The officer had been investigated for months by the CBI, which says his arrest is for “personal improper practices and seeking of monetary gratification”.

Lt Colonel Moni was caught taking Rs 2 lakh to facilitate the transfer of a Bengaluru-based army officer, the CBI said.

The police complaint also names a Brigadier but his name has not been included in the list of accused.

The CBI suspects other senior officers were also involved.

The agency is investigating how army officers were ready to pay lakhs of rupees to get a posting of their choice.

Gaurav Kohli had contacts with several senior officers in the personnel department, including Lieutenant Colonel Moni, and allegedly used them to help officers who wanted transfers.

In a recent case detected by the CBI, around Rs 5 lakhs was given to Gaurav Kohli by an army officer, allegedly through hawala channels.

Gaurav Kohli, say investigators, had meetings with Lt Col Moni and visited his home too. He allegedly gave Rs 2 lakh to the officer.

Lt Col Moni, who is from Thiruvananthapuram, has been in the army since 1994 and was posted at the army headquarters in August last year.